The present invention relates to an interlocking coupling system for overhead aligned rails of which at least one rail is displaceably arranged and comprises a first coupling part and a second coupling part, each of said coupling parts is arranged at end parts of said rails and arranged for interlocking, when said rails are in aligned position.
For moving disabled persons from one position to another inside a room or between rooms, a sling mounted in an overhead rail system is used.
Inside the room the overhead rail system comprises side rails and a transverse rail, allowing full manoeuvring of the sling everywhere in the room.
When moving from one room to another, a coupling system is needed for the coupling of the end parts of two aligned rails. The coupling system provides a junction between the rail system in one room and the rail system in another room, which makes it possible to safely move the sling from one room to another.
It is equally vital that the coupling system provides end stops on the transverse rail, when the sling is moved around in one room, as well as a safe junction between two rail systems, when two end parts of rails are aligned.
In order to obtain a coupling system for both vital parts, the known coupling system comprises two coupling parts, where a first coupling part is mounted at the end part of a fixed rail in one room and a second coupling part is mounted at the end part of the transverse rail in another room.
When the sling is moved around in the room the second coupling part provides end stops on the transverse rail, rendering it impossible for the sling to slide out of the rail system, when the sling is positioned in outmost side positions near the end parts of the transverse rail.
When the sling is moved from room to room, the coupling system provides a safe junction by interlocking the first and second coupling parts. In this case it is of vital importance that the end parts of the rails are aligned as it allows the sling to be moved without running the risk of the sling sliding out of the first rail instead of into the second rail or sliding into a gap between the end parts of the rails rendering it impossible to move the sling forward or backward.
Thus it is important that the end parts of the rails are aligned horizontally and are maintained/locked in this position during the movement of the sling from the first rail system to the second rail system.
Furthermore it is important that the coupling system is provided with some kind of precautionary measures ensuring the coupling parts to interlock and maintain in locked position, or preventing them from being activated at all.
It is the object of the present invention to provide an interlocking coupling system for overhead aligned rails, which is mechanically simple and is provided with at least two levels of precautionary measures making said interlocking coupling system very safe to operate.
The object is obtained by an interlocking coupling system for overhead aligned rails, wherein each of said coupling parts (2,3) comprises a pivotal gate member (23,33), and said first coupling part (23) comprises a locking bolt member (21) with a tapered end part (214) adapted to engage with a pin (334) projecting from said gate member (33) of said second coupling part (3) and said locking bolt member (21) is adapted to engage with a recess (234) in said pivotal gate member (23), and both said gate members (23, 33) are activated by displacing said locking bolt member (21).